2007
We've got two new Executive Directors, Chris Houfe joins Paper House as Sales Director and Matt Jeanes comes in as Creative Director. With Chris Wilcox and Steve Gallagher, the team is now complete! A new publishing arm of Paper House is launched, The Great British Card Company, utilizing the art skills of Mike Payne and Peter Cross to bring a fresh, innovative and high quality look to the cute card genre for the UK market.
2006
It's all change at the top with Peter Reichwald going into 'semi-retirement' as Chairman. The Company actively embarks on an environmental awareness initative and by the end of the year over 85% of waste produced is recycled and energy usage has reduced by over 25%. The bespoke Christmas Charity side of the business registers a record number of cards sold to both National and local Charities.
2005
It’s our 25th Anniversary – and a long way from the garage in Cheltenham in 1980! Paper House continues with its pro-active approach to publishing with the launch of nearly 2000 designs across the board during the year. Warehouse Manager Kev Stubbs celebrates his 20th anniversary with the Company, an epic milestone! Paper House signs exclusive deal with IPC Media to publish a range of cards using images from ‘Country Life’ magazine.
2004
Founder and Managing Director Peter Reichwald receives the ultimate accolade – the Honorary Achievement Award at ‘The Henries’ – voted for by key figures in the greetings card industry. New technology arrives in the shape of IPAC’s – account managers can now download orders via their mobile phones – bye bye paperwork!
2003
An amazing year, sales growth of 36% compared to 2002. A further 10,000 square feet added to distribution facility at Waterwells. Paper House exhibits at Spring Fair – with not one card on view! It’s a coffee shop, and everyone stops by for a latte and a chat.
2002
The National Gallery of London and Paper House join forces to produce an exclusive range of Christmas boxes, packs and cards. Also with charity linked cards accounting for 46% of Christmas cards purchased, growth in direct to charity cellopacks doubles in 12 months, driven by sales manager Chris Woodisse.
2001
Paper House starts up 'The Card Factory' - a new arm of the Company offering a brokerage service for smaller publishers when dealing with specific nationwide retail customers. In May, Paper House moves into it's purpose-built 29,000 sq ft premises in Waterwells Park on the southern outskirts of Gloucester. The highly acclaimed traditional range 'Word For Word' is launched with immediate success.
2000
Paper House website is now up and running and thank you for visiting today!). The company re-enters the highly competitive Christmas Charity market, with new initiatives co-operating with national and local charities, as well as launching a new division for businesses with its corporate Christmas catalogue. In October, the first foundations are laid for the new head office site at Waterwells.
1999
The Card Industry sees a wave of consolidations and take-overs leaving Paper House as the largest direct-to-retail independent publisher in the U.K. Seven new product ranges are launched and nearly 1600 new cards are published in the eight months from April. One of these, a cute mouse, is the top selling card of any supplier in Tesco's.
1998
Under Chris Wilcox, the Creative Department is re-established in Gloucester and a new product initiative on Special Occasions and Relations starts to bear fruit. Tim Melgund, co-owner of the 'Paperchase' group of shops, joins the Board as non-Executive Director.
1997
Fulfilling the need for a cohesive traditional range, The Paper House Group signed a licensing agreement with major US publisher Paramount Arts. The first fruits of this agreement were launched under the ‘Images From The Heart’ brand.
1996
A year of logistics which involved integrating the warehousing for Royle into the existing 37,000 square ft premises in Gloucester for everyday stock and the 5,000 square ft warehouse in Stoke on Trent which catered for Christmas stock. House of Greetings was christened as the company’s charity arm. A new Group Creative department was set up in the heart of London.
1995
Paper House undertook a rebranding exercise which placed all its humorous cards under The Humour Factory brand in order to differentiate its publishing brand from the Group name. It also expanded into the cute arena with the launch of three ranges by top artists Don Macleod, Kate Veale and Trevor Waugh. Then came the ambitious acquisition of 50 year old Royle Publications, the London-based greeting card company whose reputation as one of the oldest greeting card companies was world wide.
1994
An acquisitively busy year with the purchases of giftwrap company House of Jordan, and Aries Designs, the contemporary art greeting card company which had been set up by Graham Foster.
1993
Consolidating its close relationship with the arts, Paper House collaborated with famous London museum, The Wallace Collection, to produce a special range of cards based around its treasures, for W H Smith.
1992
Celebrity status once again as Radio One DJ Gary Davies transmitted his programme from Paper House’s Gloucester offices as part of the ‘Gary Goes To Your Place’ series of programmes. The company now had a major profile in the British Market.
1991
The German and Dutch subsidiaries were sold, while the UK operations grew at a pace.
1989
The acquisition bug bit again as Parnassus Gallery was purchased, further bolstering Paper House’s position in the art sector, making us the major art publisher in the UK.
1988
As exports grew, Paper House set up another overseas venture, this time in Holland with the formation of Paper House BV.
1987
Reacting to the appalling famine in Africa, Paper House decided to publish a Card For Africa, with funds from its sale being sent to the starving millions. Media celebrity Bob Geldof (now Sir Bob) was presented with a cheque for approximately £26,000.
1986
Paper House started on its acquisition trail with the purchase of Elgin Court, a contemporary art card company. Elgin Court’s former creative mind, Neil Holliday, joined the Group and went on to become Group Product Director. Recognising the growth potential of overseas markets the company set up a German subsidiary, Paper House GmbH. This became the leading humorous greeting card company in Germany and was instrumental in bringing modern design to the German card market.
1984
Encouraged by the success of its humorous range, Paper House took a significant step and diversified into the more serene area of fine art greeting cards. This development necessitated a move into two small warehouses, one of which was located on the edge of a pig farm. This did have unforeseen implications. According to Peter, “We rarely received visitors during the month of August when muck spreading was going and the rural odours became rather too strong for most buyers.”
1982
By now Paper House had left the baby monitor behind and had moved into a small warehouse in Gloucestershire. This coincided with the decision to start designing its own humorous cards and make its first foray into multiple accounts. “I will never forget Elwynn Roberts of W H Smith agreeing to trail our cards in its Sunderland branch. He said that if they sold in Sunderland, they would sell anywhere. I am glad to say that the good people of Sunderland liked them!” said Peter.
1981
Paper House’s official debut - the West Country Gift Fair in Torquay. Laying the foundations of its reputation for ambitious exhibition stands, Paper House’s first attempt included panels which had been sprayed liberally with glitter. Unfortunately a strong gust of wind whipped off the English Channel just as Peter and Chris were manhandling the stand inside, resulting in the duo receiving an unexpected glitter shower. “I was still finding bits of that glitter in what was left of my hair, five years later!” stated Chris.
1980
“It was a case of being unable to think of anything better to do.” confessed Peter Reichwald as to the reasons why he decided to put his hill farming, cosmetics industry, rope manufacture and book publishing experience to good use and set up a greeting card company- Paper House. With its first logo duly designed, using Letraset and operating from an office bedroom in Peter’s home, the company began its life by licensing humorous greeting cards from the States, sold by a vast rep force of three! These cards were ‘warehoused’ in Peter’s garage organised by Chris Wilcox, who joined fresh from university with a full head of hair. Chris is still with the company (though much of his hair has departed!) as Group Operations Director. “Peter and I communicated by using a Curry’s Deluxe baby listening monitor - hi-tech it was not! Through the static distortions we could just about make out the some of the words, but that was about it!” recalled Chris. |
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